What Happened
by ljp
Summary: *now completed* A tale of Draco and his love as they finish out the years at Hogwarts.
1. [One] My Sixth Year

Disclaimer: Like I really own Harry Potter. I'd rather own Draco, but alas, it was   
not meant to be. I do, of course, own both Sarah and Meg. Hmn...sort of. I own Sarah,   
but Meg owns Meg being that Meg *is* Meg...never mind. It's not mine. Leave me be.  
  
  
It was finally my sixth year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I had   
been spending nine months out of every school year there for the past five years. It was   
the best wizarding school in the world, of course. My parents would never send me   
there otherwise.   
  
I was brought up with little to no contact with the Muggle world, but that didn't   
bother me. I was perfectly fine being the oldest daughter in a very prominent wizarding   
family. Especially with my best friend being Margaret Carter.   
  
We grew up together. Spent summers on the coast, winters skiing in the Andes,   
and all the days in between at home, learning as many charms and spells as I could,   
anything the get ready for Hogwarts. Mom was a Ravenclaw, intelligent, mysterious,   
beautiful. Dad was a Slytherin, powerful, ambitious, dark. I was never sure where I fit   
in.   
  
Meg and I both knew she would be in Ravenclaw (both her parents were). So, I   
wanted that. But, there was always a part of me hoping for Slytherin, though I would   
never have admitted it. No one ever good had ever come out of Slytherin.  
  
"Only one more year!" Meg slid into a seat toward the middle of the Ravenclaw   
table.   
  
I fell back against my chair across from her. "Don't forget...we still have *this*   
year to get through." I was hungry, real hungry. I cracked my neck and sighed, wishing   
I could move forward half an hour so the Sorting Ceremony would already be over and   
we'd be eating. I didn't know anyone being sorted anyway; Dave and Chuck, mine and   
Meg's brothers, were sorted into Ravenclaw the previous year. So much for excitement.   
I had hoped Dave would have been stuck in Slytherin.  
  
"Given any thought to after graduation yet?"   
  
I rolled my eyes. "What did I tell you last year at this exact same time Meg? I   
had no idea then, and I have no idea now..." I stopped talking altogether.  
  
The most attractive boy I had ever seen in my entire life (and, mind you, I had   
seen some pretty attractive members of the male persuasion in my time) stalked into the   
Great Hall. That silver-blond hair, those steely eyes, that tall, slender figure, the two   
giants of bodyguards trailing him...  
  
"Is that Draco Malfoy?!" I finally shut my mouth, having realized it was hanging   
open. "When did he get hot?" Malfoy was Slytherin through and through. Our fathers   
had been friends back at Hogwarts, but not so much that they still speak. I had heard   
tales of how Malfoy picks on, taunts, teases, harasses, etc, etc, most Muggle-borns and   
Gryffindors. They seemed to be his favorite subjects to torture.  
  
"Hot?" Meg asked. "Draco Malfoy?" She laughed. "If Draco Malfoy is hot, then   
Harry Potter is a god." She trailed off, turning to stare dreamily at the Gryffindor table   
and said boy. He was there, as he was every year, Hogwarts' very own celebrity. I   
rolled my eyes again, blocking out Professor McGonagall's incessant name calling and   
the sorting hat's loud ramblings.  
  
***  
  
I had Arithmancy first thing on the first day. When I walked into the classroom, I   
noticed a few things. First, the class size had significantly dropped since last year.   
Second, Meg was already sitting next to Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor who was good   
friends with Harry. I guessed she just wanted to get to Potter through her. She muttered   
something last night about wanting to get into Potter's pants, or some other incoherent   
mutterings. And finally, I noticed that the only open seat was beside none other than the   
only Slytherin in class - Draco Malfoy.  
  
I took a deep breath and plastered my best smile on my face. "Mind if I sit here?"   
I asked, stopping next to Draco.  
  
He looked up from the book he was reading. He looked around the room as if   
searching for another empty seat. He just shrugged and returned to his book.   
  
I let out a deep breath and sat down, casting a small glance toward Draco. He   
was completely immersed in whatever is was he was reading. I only caught a few   
words, but I did recognize it. It was some book of Dark Arts spells. My father left a copy   
lying around one day last summer. It made for some very interesting reading.   
Sometimes, I wondered why the sorting hat *didn't* put me in Slytherin.  
  
I sent a hopeless look in Meg's general direction, but she just shrugged   
helplessly and turned to talk to Hermione. I shrank back into my chair.  
  
***  
  
The first Quidditch match of the season was the first weekend after Halloween.   
The school year was going by very fast, not that I minded. To be honest, I couldn't wait   
to get out of Hogwarts. I was looking forward to being out on my own. The Quidditch   
game was between Slytherin and Gryffindor. It was tradition of course. At least six   
years' worth. Ever since we began here it had been like that.   
  
I was sitting in the Gryffindor section with Hermione and Meg. Apparently, ever   
since Hermione's boyfriend, Ron Weasley, made the team, she had to sit by herself. So,   
she invited Meg. Meg, in turn, invited me. I didn't mind too much though. I was playing   
seeker for the Ravenclaw team this year, after Cho Chang graduated. And I figured it   
couldn't hurt to spy a little, see my competition. Like I even stood a chance against   
Harry "the youngest seeker in a century" Potter.  
  
I sighed. Meg was rambling on and on about how wonderful Harry was at flying   
and how well he handled his broom. And Hermione said something about Ron and his   
new Nimbus 2004. I rolled my eyes.  
  
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the snitch. It was a habit of mine. Ever   
since I was little and obsessed with Quidditch, I made it my goal every match I saw to   
find the snitch before the seekers. And I did.  
  
I smiled to myself. Just then, I saw Draco swoop down after the gold fluttering,   
Harry close on his tail. I held my breath, sure that Draco would finally be the first person   
to beat Harry at finding the snitch. He reached out for it. His hand began to close over   
the snitch, but just as he did, Harry moved his broom to the side and slammed into   
Draco, causing him to go careening off to the side. Harry grabbed the snitch.  
  
I opened my mouth the protest, but at the same moment the entire section   
erupted into cheers, Meg's being the loudest. If it had been any other seekers, Madam   
Hooch would have called a penalty on them, and the snitch would have been re-  
released. But not with Harry. Never with Harry.  
  
I was pushed by the Gryffindor crowd to surround the victorious team. I suddenly   
felt very claustrophobic, and I told Meg that. She waved me off with a "see you back in   
the tower" and followed Hermione, who was off to introduce her to Harry.  
  
I was halfway back to Hogwarts when I caught sight of the Slytherin team sulking   
into the locker rooms. Draco was bringing up the rear, a frown crossing his usually stoic   
face.  
  
"Draco!" I called out, not realizing that I had said it aloud.  
  
He stopped mid-stride and looked at me curiously.  
  
"Good game." I shrugged, a small smile creeping onto my face. "I really thought   
you had the snitch. Harry shouldn't have done that. It wasn't fair." He didn't say   
anything. I turned to walk away, deeming it a hopeless cause.  
  
"I don't need your pity." He spat. I stopped. "You can tell that to your little   
Gryffindor friends." I didn't answer, but I could feel his eyes bore into my back as I   
walked away, purposefully avoiding the Gryffindor crowd and hurrying toward the castle.   
  
Sometimes boys just sucked.  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: Well, shall I continue...? 


	2. [Two] Arithmancy and...snogging?

Disclaimer: Like I really own Harry Potter. I'd rather own Draco, but   
alas, it was not meant to be. I do, of course, own both Sarah and Meg.   
Hmn...sort of. I own Sarah, but Meg owns Meg being that Meg *is*   
Meg...never mind. It's not mine. Leave me be.  
  
***  
  
Arithmancy on Monday morning was dull as usual.  
  
Hermione and Meg were gossiping about Harry and Ron. Something to do with   
leather pants and a whip. I shuddered at the mental image of the boy who lived in such   
an outfit. I almost got sick.  
  
In the other corner, we have...three Hufflepuff girls gawking and giggling over   
none other than Draco Malfoy. The object of their affections, of course, didn't speak. He   
rarely did. It made for a very boring hour first thing in the morning.  
  
Professor Vector tapped the edge of her desk. "I have a project for you class." I   
bit back a groan. "It will be completed with a partner. Namely, the person you sit next   
to." I looked, my mouth open, at Draco, who had a smirk on his face. Professor Vector   
handed out a scroll of parchment to each table. Draco grabbed it before I had a chance   
to look. "It will be due two weeks from today. Class dismissed."  
  
I didn't move. Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh.  
  
"Asherton!" Draco snapped at me. I had noticed he rarely called anyone by their   
first name. Except for that Parkinson bitch. Pansy or something. She just wanted to get   
in his pants. I turned to look at him. "After dinner in the library. Don't be late." He left.  
  
Finally, I stood up, moving to join Meg and Hermione, who were waiting for me at   
the door. "If you need any help on the assignment, let me know." Hermione offered. "I   
don't know how much Malfoy will actually do."  
  
"I suppose I'll find out this evening." I said. Meg looked at me curiously. "We're   
meeting in the library." I clarified.  
  
She grinned. "Maybe you can get one of those private classrooms."  
  
I slapped her in the arm. Hermione looked horrified at the very possibility of   
anyone liking Draco Malfoy. "I'll see you later. Don't wanna be late to Divination." I   
hurried away. I could have sworn I heard something about Professor Trelawney being   
muttered by Hermione. But I couldn't be sure.  
  
Personally, I enjoy the class, even if the wacky lady had predicted my death on   
more than one occasion. I mean, I'm still here, aren't I?  
  
***  
  
I didn't usually wear Muggle clothes. I preferred my robes over anything I could   
buy in Muggle London. Some of the things they wore were just so...repulsive.   
Nevertheless, I had noticed that more than one wizard at school enjoyed seeing that sort   
of thing on the girls. So, I did something I never thought I would do. I asked Meg to   
borrow one of her Muggle outfits.  
  
It was this really skimpy thing. A black skirt that barely reached the middle of my   
thighs. And a red tank top thing that showed more skin than the bathing suit I wore last   
summer.   
  
I made a face at myself in the mirror.  
  
"Oh, someone has a hot date tonight!" The mirror taunted.  
  
I scowled. "That is not completely true. In order for it to be a date, the other   
party would have to consider it that also. In this case, it is completely one-sided." I   
muttered.  
  
Before the mirror could respond, I turned on my heels, grabbed my black school   
robes, and slipped them on. If I was going to work with Draco Malfoy on this project, the   
least I could do was try to make the most of it.  
  
***  
  
Draco was waiting for me when I got to the library. He was leaning against a   
bookshelf near the restricted section, his nose buried in the book he had been reading   
for the past few weeks in Arithmancy.  
  
"You're late." I hadn't realized he had noticed me walk in.  
  
"Sorry." I muttered. "Where do you want to begin?"  
  
He smirked. I suppose it was his trademark. It wasn't even a smirk. More like a   
sneer. "I reserved one of the library classrooms for us. It's private. I think it'll be   
quieter, and that way we'll finish this a lot sooner." Draco turned around and beckoned   
me to follow him toward the far corner.  
  
A private classroom? With Draco? I definitely did not see this working.  
  
We entered the small classroom, and I noticed a pile of books already sitting on   
the table. I pulled out the nearest chair, removed my robe, and wrapped it around the   
back of the chair. Draco shut the door and turned around to face me. I swear his mouth   
fell open.  
  
Like I said, I don't normally wear anything besides my uniform or some other   
robes. But I never figured guys would care. I wasn't particularly interested in members   
of the male sex. I mean, yeah, they were there. But that was all.   
  
And then there was Draco Malfoy.   
  
And he was standing in front of me, gawking at me in a way that said he was   
doing everything in his power to keep from throwing me down on the table and having   
his way with me. I didn't know what to do.  
  
"It isn't nice to stare Draco." I whispered.  
  
He shut his mouth. "What are you doing Asherton?"  
  
"Getting ready to work on our Arithmancy project." I replied innocently. "Are you   
going to help me Draco? Or do I have to do it all by myself?"  
  
He just stared at me, his cold eyes growing dark.  
  
I realized then that I didn't know much about Draco Malfoy, other than the fact   
that he was a Slytherin and very, very arrogant. I was beginning to think that being   
alone with him, in a locked classroom, with close to no clothes on, could, quite possibly,   
be a very bad scenario. I had heard stories. Everyone had heard the stories. Draco   
Malfoy slept with half the Slytherins, including the younger ones. Breaking hearts left   
and right. One night stands here and there. How many of them were true? One that I'm   
sure of: Pansy whatever was bragging about how wonderful he was in bed. Everyone   
heard her. She practically screamed it to the entire Great Hall last week at breakfast.  
  
"D - Draco?" I managed to stutter, stepping back, almost falling over the chair.  
  
"Do you like me Asherton?" He asked.   
  
I faltered, not expecting that. "Who wouldn't?" I quipped. "You're attractive..."   
He took a step closer to me. "...mysterious..." Another step. I swallowed. "...smart..."   
Another. "...well-built..." With that, he was pressed up against me, his face inches from   
mine.  
  
"That's good to know." I looked at him curiously. "Because I like you too."  
  
His lips brushed mine. I closed my eyes, wishing for more. It came in full force.   
Within seconds, one of his hands was around grasping the back of my neck, while the   
other found its way under my shirt, tracing small circles on the skin on my hip. I wrapped   
my arms around his neck to steady myself as he pressed me down against the table.   
His lips parted against mine. I opened my mouth to him.   
  
I can't explain it really. It was amazing. Everything I had ever hoped and more   
so. His mouth was hot against mine, his tongue probing and hard. I ran my hands down   
his sides. His hand moved an inch higher. I tried to pull him even closer.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Draco pulled away from me, breathing   
heavily. "You forgot to mention sexy and irresistible." He muttered.  
  
I looked up at him, a smile forming on my face. "Egotistical bastard."  
  
And with that, he went right on snogging me.  
  
***  
  
I was in a good mood. Meg could tell. Hermione could tell. Draco could tell.   
The whole damn school could tell. But I really didn't care. In fact, if I could, I would have   
shouted to the whole world that I'd been snogging the hottest boy at Hogwarts for the   
past month. But I didn't.  
  
It wasn't normal. A Slytherin dating another House. Slytherins dated Slytherins.   
Gryffindors may have dated Hufflepuffs, and Hufflepuffs may have dated Ravenclaws,   
but Ravenclaws never dated Slytherins. It was stupid really. I mean, did it really matter   
what House someone was in?  
  
Not to me.  
  
Draco and I did eventually get our Arithmancy project done. It took a while   
though. We kept getting distracted. Not that either of us minded. But what was really   
weird was that it wasn't just about snogging. I had originally thought it was, but it turned   
out to be more.   
  
Okay, okay, I'm not talking about true love and birds singing and all that romantic   
poets' crap. I'm just talking about two people who really connected. Sure, we kissed. A   
lot. But we also talked. I told Draco things I had never even told Meg.  
  
"My father's a Death Eater." I revealed one evening. We were in the astronomy   
tower, a place both of us preferred to the library. It was much more private. I was laying   
in his arms, just enjoying the silence when I told him.  
  
Draco seemed surprised. "So's mine." Of course I knew that already. Everyone   
did.  
  
"I assumed I'd be in Slytherin. Everyone tells me that I take after him. I didn't   
want to though. I don't want to pledge my life to Voldemort." I whispered.   
  
He kissed the top of my head. "You don't have to."  
  
"I'm just scared. Father has never pressured me to do anything, but he drops   
hints. I know more Dark Arts spells than most of the professors we've had. By my own   
choice of course. The Dark Arts have always interested me."  
  
"Me too." He said. "We have a lot in common Sarah."  
  
I shifted my position and looked up at him. It was the first time he had used my   
first name. He leaned in and kissed me. "What about you?" I asked. "Are you going to   
initiate after graduation?"  
  
Draco shook his head. "Despite popular belief, I too have no desire to bond with   
the Dark Lord. Opening my veins to accept his blood and having a skull burned into my   
flesh is not exactly my idea of a good time."  
  
I laughed. "I would have to agree on that."  
  
He touched my cheek. "What are you doing for Christmas?"  
  
It was an abrupt change of subject. "I was supposed to go home, but my parents   
decided to go off to India to visit my aunt. So, I'm stuck here."  
  
"Want to come home with me?" His finger traced a line down my cheek to stop   
at the corner of my lower lip.  
  
I stuck my tongue out and captured his finger in my mouth, sucking on it gently.   
He groaned and pulled his hand away. I smiled softly. "Are you sure your father would   
approve? I know he only wants to very best for his heir."  
  
Draco kissed me again. "I told him all about you. The moment I mentioned who   
your father was, he was ecstatic. Said something to the effect of `any daughter of John   
Asherton's is a daughter of mine!' I think he'll like you."  
  
"And your mother?" I crawled back into his lap.  
  
"She only wants me to be happy."  
  
"And are you?" I wondered, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Happy?"  
  
"Indubitably."  
  
He kissed me yet again, and we spent the next few hours entangled in each   
other's arms. Like always, I didn't object.  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: Well, should I continue? 


	3. [Three] My Christmas Eve

Disclaimer: Like I really own Harry Potter. I'd rather own Draco, but   
alas, it was not meant to be. I do, of course, own both Sarah and Meg.   
Hmn...sort of. I own Sarah, but Meg owns Meg being that Meg *is*   
Meg...never mind. It's not mine. Leave me be.  
  
***  
  
"I thought you said your parents were going to India over break so you had to stay at   
Hogwarts." Meg frowned, jumping onto my bed.   
  
I, as always, had procrastinated, leaving all my packing to the last minute. I was   
meeting Draco in the Great Hall in less than ten minutes. "There's been a change of   
plans." I muttered, rummaging through my night table for my wand. I couldn't seem to   
find it anywhere.  
  
My cat, Desdemona, rubbed herself against my legs. I pushed her out of the way. "Why   
didn't you tell me?" Meg pouted. "What's the matter Sarah?"  
  
I found it buried underneath my Muggle Studies book and pulled it out. I looked up at   
her. "What's the matter?" I repeated. "Nothing, why?" Desdemona, having been   
dismissed by me, jumped up onto the bed and curled herself into a ball next to Meg.  
  
"You've been distant lately." She explained, scratching the black cat's ears. "And you're   
always running off without telling any of us where you're going. Padme said she saw   
you go off somewhere with Draco Malfoy."  
  
Latching and locking my trunk, I gave my wand a flick and whispered an incantation my   
father had taught me. The trunk shrunk to a fraction of its size. Meg looked surprised.   
"How did you do that?" She wondered as I slipped the trunk inside my pocket.  
  
I shrugged. Back to her original question, I took a deep breath. "Draco's been helping   
me with Arithmancy. I mentioned it to him that I wasn't doing terribly well in that class   
and he decided to tutor me. We usually meet at night since neither of us have anything   
else to do then."  
  
She seemed satisfied enough with my answer. I headed for the door. "Take care of   
Desi for me!" I called out.  
  
I heard her mutter something about why I wasn't taking her home with me, but I didn't   
answer. I practically ran down to the Great Hall, where Draco was waiting for me.  
  
***  
  
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I met Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, but this was   
decidedly not it. I suppose I had really always pictured Lucius Malfoy as a hard,   
demanding father who, often times, was abusive. And I saw Narcissa Malfoy as a meek,   
submissive woman, willing to do anything to please her husband. That wasn't who they   
turned out to be at all.  
  
Whoever said that Draco got his looks from his father is sorely mistaken. It is true that   
Lucius is tall, but he had black hair and a dark complexion. He wasn't nearly as cold and   
emotionless as I had anticipated. In fact, he enveloped both Draco and myself in a hug   
the moment we stepped off of the Hogwarts Express.  
  
Narcissa, on the other hand, was quite the opposite. It was from her that Draco got his   
pale skin and silver hair. She was a beautiful woman, small, fragile, and soft. She   
waited patiently to hug her son.  
  
They are a loving couple, always holding hands, smiling at each other, gazing into each   
others' eyes when they thought no one was looking. It made me happy to see them that   
way. It wasn't at all how I had pictured it. Unless Lucius Malfoy had mastered a very   
effective and very strong form of the Imperious Curse, I couldn't say that the Malfoys   
were not completely and hopelessly in love.  
  
"Mum, Dad, this is Sarah Asherton. Sarah, my parents."  
  
I smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy."  
  
They immediately insisted that I use their first names. The four of us got into a black   
limousine as we exited King's Cross. I was surprised that we hadn't used Floo Powder;   
that was how I always traveled. Very rarely was I ever in an automobile.  
  
"Draco tells me that you are in Ravenclaw." Narcissa began to strike up a conversation   
as we made ourselves comfortable.  
  
I nodded. "Yes. My mother was in Ravenclaw actually. My father was in Slytherin. I   
really wasn't sure where I'd end up."  
  
"So she's got brains and beauty, huh Draco?" Lucius nudged his son.  
  
We both blushed.  
  
"Your father and I were great friends back at Hogwarts." Lucius boasted. "How's he   
doing now? I haven't seen him since...since then." The unspoken was obvious. Since   
Voldemort's reign fell when Lily and James Potter died and Harry lived.  
  
"Fine." I answered. "He and my mother are in India visiting my aunt. They like it there.   
Dad's actually working with Gringotts over in Diagon Alley. He's been with them for   
years."  
  
Lucius went on to tell tales from the `good old days' back at school. Draco turned to   
smile at me. He squeezed my hand. Christmas was looking good.  
  
***  
  
Draco's hand was in mine as he pulled me up the stone steps. I shivered. "Draco,   
where are we going?" I wondered, disgusted at how whiny my voice actually sounded.   
  
But I had good reason to be whining. It was almost midnight the night before Christmas.   
Everyone in Malfoy Manor was asleep. The manor itself was cold, as the stone it was   
made of did nothing for the generation of heat. To be perfectly frank, I didn't want to be   
there. I wanted, very desperately, to be back in my nice, warm bed, curled up under the   
covers.  
  
"You'll see!" He insisted. "I want to show you something. It's my favorite place in the   
manor." Draco actually sounded excited. Draco never sounded excited.  
  
We finally made it to the top of the 250 plus steps. There was a large wooden door in   
front of us. Draco dropped my hand and pulled a large golden key from his pocket. As   
he pushed open the door, a cold gust of night air rushed at us. I shivered again and   
wrapped my robe tighter around myself.  
  
Draco grabbed my elbow and ushered me through the door. We entered into a small   
tower with one single window. It reminded me of the Astronomy Tower back at school.   
He led me toward the window, which provided the only light in the room through   
moonlight. "Look outside." He urged.  
  
I stepped away from him and turned to the window. We were high up. Really high up. I   
gasped and stumbled backward. Draco caught, his arms encircling my waist. "If you   
look all the way out there." He whispered, his hot breath caressing my earlobe, you can   
see the lights from London.  
  
I saw them. Far away, on the horizon, were dots of yellow and white. I sighed. The   
moon and clouds cast eerie shadows on the hills and trees surrounding the manor,   
which was situated on the very top of a hill. In that tower, Draco and I were as close to   
the heavens as humanly possible. "It's amazing."  
  
He kissed my neck. "You are amazing." Draco's hands traveled up my sides and   
stopped at the clasp of my robe. I only had on my nightgown under it. Slowly, he   
slipped it from my shoulders. I shivered at his touch.  
  
"Draco..." I tried to turn to face him, but he wouldn't let me. He trailed light, feathery   
kisses up my neck to my cheek.   
  
"I love you." He breathed.  
  
I barely heard him.  
  
Before I had a chance to respond and tell him how much I loved him, he was across the   
room. I heard him whisper `lumos,' and the room filled with the light glaring off the end of   
his wand. I watched him work. In mere seconds, he had the far corner of the tower   
sectioned off, white silken sheets and pillows scattered among the floor and candles   
burning brightly all around.  
  
Then he was at my side again, taking my hand and leading me to his creation. He   
kissed me, softly. The only parts of our body touching was our lips. I reached up and   
pushed off his robe. I broke contact long enough to look directly into his pale blue eyes.   
I ran a hand along his cheek. "I love you too."  
  
It seemed to be all he needed.  
  
He captured my lips with his own once again, pushing his tongue through and caressing   
the insides of my mouth. All the while, his hands roamed all over my body, sending   
sparks of electricity flying in every direction. I ran my hands through his hair, pulling him   
closer, wanting to feel him - all of him - against me.  
  
Draco lowered me onto the pillows, holding himself up to look down at me. We were   
both already breathing heavily. I could feel all the heat rushing to my cheeks as he   
slowly and deliberately peeled my nightgown from my body. I shuddered at every touch.   
It wasn't enough. I needed to feel his skin against mine.  
  
Seconds later, his clothes had joined mine in a heap on the floor. He leaned down to   
kiss me again. Draco looked at me. "I've never done this before." He confessed, his   
fingers brushing against my lips. I jumped slightly. "You look surprised."  
  
I nodded. "I had heard stories." I admitted. "I thought you..."  
  
He quieted me with a kiss. "That was all they were. Stories. You're my first."  
  
I bit my lip and leaned up for another kiss. "I'm glad we're sharing this time with each   
other." I murmured against his lips. Draco ran a hand down my side. He let it stop on   
my hip. "Merry Christmas Draco."  
  
His eyes twinkled. "Merry Christmas Sarah."  
  
As he leaned down to kiss me again, I muttered a contraceptive charm, almost as an   
afterthought. He fell on top of me, and thus began our Christmas Eve.  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: Well? 


	4. [Four] A Prophesy Fullfilled

Disclaimer: Like I really own Harry Potter. I'd rather own Draco, but   
alas, it was not meant to be. I do, of course, own both Sarah and Meg.   
Hmn...sort of. I own Sarah, but Meg owns Meg being that Meg *is*   
Meg...never mind. It's not mine. Leave me be.  
  
***  
  
I sighed. I wasn't fully awake yet, but I could feel the very beginnings of sunlight peeking   
in through the window. Draco had his arms wrapped around me, and my head was   
resting against his chest. We were both exhausted.  
  
It felt wonderful to be lying there with him. I felt safe. I felt loved.  
  
"Are you sure they'd be up here?"  
  
"It's the only place Draco ever goes to be alone."  
  
"Why'd the do it Lucius?"  
  
I woke up. I had heard voices. My father? I tried to sit up, but Draco murmured   
something and pulled me tighter against him. Footsteps echoed, and suddenly the door   
swung open with a bang.   
  
Draco, who had awoken in an instant, sat up.  
  
Both my father and his father were standing in the doorway, arms crossed over their   
chests. They looked upset. I bit back a scream and pulled the blanket up to cover   
myself. "Dad?" I said, in disbelief.  
  
He just stared at me.   
  
"What exactly were you two doing?" Lucius demanded, crossing the room to grab our   
clothes. He threw them at us.  
  
"We didn't think - we used protection - we -" Draco stammered.  
  
There was a sudden wave of cold air, and the sky grew immensely dark. Thunder   
crashed right outside the window. I jumped. My father looked at Lucius. "We were too   
late." I looked over at Draco wondering what the hell was going on. "Get your robes on   
and go down to the hall." He ordered, his voice hard and cold.  
  
When neither of us moved, Lucius' eyes flared up. "Now. We mustn't keep the Dark   
Lord waiting." He and my father whirled around and left down the steps, their robes   
flowing out behind them.  
  
Draco and I stood up and began to dress. "What was that all about?" He asked.  
  
I was pulling my robe around me when I knew. I knew exactly what happened. I knew   
exactly why they came barging in. And I most certainly knew exactly why Draco and I   
should never have done what we did last night. He looked at me, realizing I had come to   
some conclusion.  
  
"Did you ever read the book of Undely's prophecies?" I queried, my voice wavering. He   
shook his head. I swallowed hard, my voice getting caught in my throat. I wanted to   
throw up. I wanted to cry. I wanted to jump out the window.   
  
Draco pulled me into his arms. "Tell me."  
  
"On the way." I insisted, practically pulling him out the door. "I have a real problem with   
prophecies and predictions." I explained. "No one can interpret them until after the fact.   
Until something happens that works with what had been predicted, it's impossible to   
foresee it." He nodded, seemingly understanding what I was rambling on and on about.   
We rounded the corner.   
  
"There was one prophecy. One about the Dark Lord's heir." I struggled to remember   
what was written about it. "It said something to the effect of: `The night before the   
people's great savior is born, long after the dark one's reign had fallen, two souls will be   
joined to become one.'" I shook my head in thought as we headed down another flight   
of stairs. "Then it was something like, `As they lay in the heavens, the dragon and the   
princess will conceive a new life, the one who will belong to the dark one, wreaking   
havoc and causing chaos for all in her path. The dark one will then have an heir.'"   
  
Draco and I stopped just outside the entrance to the hall. He looked at me as if I had   
been speaking Spanish for the past ten minutes. "I just don't understand. We used   
protection."  
  
"It didn't work." The voice reverberated off the walls, and the doors swung open in a   
gust of cold air. I shivered. Draco and I spun around to come face to face with Lord   
Voldemort.  
  
***  
  
Voldemort was shrouded all in black, but that face, that distorted, deformed, ugly face,   
unmistakably belonged to Voldemort.  
  
I had not been brought up to fear him. I had not been brought up to worship him either.   
I never hid behind the words "He-who-must-not-be-named" and "you-know-who." When   
it was necessary to say his name, I said it.  
  
But now, with the Dark Lord circling me and Draco as if we were prey and he, a hawk, I   
was afraid. Draco gripped my hand.  
  
"The prophesy has been fulfilled." He stated. "I see now that I will have an heir."   
Voldemort flew at me, filling me. At that moment, the sensation of someone probing me,   
reaching into every edge of my being came over me. I gasped. My hand flew to my   
stomach. "Yes..." He hissed, floating away from me. "She will do just fine." He   
extended an arm. "Now, my children, come to me. Pledge yourself to me."  
  
My feet moved on their own, pulling both Draco and myself to the center of the room. I   
willed myself to stop. But he was too strong.  
  
I looked at Lucius and my father, who were watching, unmoved. Agonizing seconds   
later, my father stepped forward, his head bowed. "My lord...?"  
  
"SILENCE!" Voldemort bellowed. "They must receive the Dark Mark."  
  
I finally found my voice. Apparently, so did Draco also, because we both objected at the   
same time. "NO!"  
  
The Dark Lord glared at us, questioning our audacity to speak at him so forcefully. "We   
will not pledge ourselves to you!" I managed to spit out. "I would rather die."  
  
"So be it!" I heard it, but I did not see his lips move. "Crucio!"  
  
Within seconds though, I felt it.   
  
Pain. Unbearable, excruciating pain searing through every vein in my body. I couldn't   
move. I could only feel.  
  
Somewhere, far away, I heard Draco yell my name. "Draco..." His name was merely an   
echo in my mind. I couldn't speak it. He forbid it.  
  
The pain ended in a flash, and I found myself on the ground, Draco knelt over me, urging   
me back into consciousness. Voldemort seemed to be everywhere at once. "If you do   
not initiate, I will kill you." He threatened. I pleaded with Draco, then I looked at our   
fathers. They could offer no help; this was our fight, our battle, our surrender.I   
swallowed hard, and Draco helped me to my feet. "Draco, I don't want to do this." I   
said.  
  
"Neither do I." He replied. "But we don't have a choice. "It's either initiate or die. I'd   
rather live with the thought that I was joined to Voldemort for the rest of my life than die   
knowing that I'd never get the chance to see our baby grow up." His hand gently   
caressed my stomach.  
  
"Our baby won't belong to us." I objected, laying my hand over his.  
  
He leaned down and kissed me tenderly. I knew, in an instant, that I didn't want to die   
either. I wanted to live, and I wanted to have this baby with Draco. She was, afterall, a   
part of both of us. I found my courage and nodded.  
  
Draco took my hand in his and turned to Voldemort. "We will initiate." He said, his voice   
not faltering in the least. And so it began.  
  
***  
  
Both Lucius and my father set to work diligently, preparing the great hall of Malfoy Manor   
for the initiation ceremony. A cauldron was lit in the center. The five of us stood in a   
circle around it, Voldemort seemingly hovering above the ground.  
  
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, are you fully willing to pledge your soul to Lord Voldemort, and   
accept his blood as your own?" My father too on the role of initiator easily, making me   
believe he had done this many times before. His voice was solemn and monotone.  
  
"I am." Draco said firmly.  
  
"And you, Sarah Catherine Asherton, are you fully willing to pledge your soul to Lord   
Voldemort, and accept his blood as your own?"  
  
I swallowed. "I am." I whispered.  
  
"Are you both aware that, as Death Eaters, you will be called upon to aid the Dark Lord   
whenever necessary?"  
  
"We are." We answered together.  
  
"Repeat after me." Lucius continued. We did so: "I pledge my life to Lord Voldemort,   
and I freely accept the Dark Mark as both a symbol of my loyalty and a seal to the   
promise I make here and now."  
  
The cauldron boiled, and the Dark Lord let blood drip out of a cut he had opened on his   
pal into it. The liquid sizzled and bubbled. I shuddered.  
  
"Draco, hold out your left arm." He did so, and my father, having taken a vial of the   
scalding, blood red liquid, poured it onto his arm. I could see the pain in his eyes, but   
Draco didn't even grimace. He allowed the cursed potion to seep through his flesh. The   
Dark Mark appeared on his arm.  
  
Then, it was my turn.  
  
When prompted to extend my arm, I did so, trembling. My father began to pour the   
bubbling potion, and all I could think of was how much I didn't want to be there. For that   
split second, I wanted to run. I wanted to run away as fast as possible, and I didn't even   
care that I might be "Avada Kedavra-ed." Then, it was too late.  
  
It burned. I felt pure evil run through my body. I now belonged to Lord Voldemort. I was   
his pawn. He could do anything he wanted with me. I watched as the Dark Mark   
appeared, painfully, on my arm.  
  
I blacked out.  
  
***  
  
I woke up later, having had the strangest dream. Draco and I had slept together, I was   
carrying Lord Voldemort's heir, and we had both received the Dark Mark. It wasn't until I   
had subconsciously looked down at my arm that I realized it hadn't been a dream at all.   
I gasped.  
  
"How are you feeling sweetie?"  
  
I looked up to see my own mother sitting on the edge of my bed. "What happened?" I   
asked, struggling to sit up.  
  
"You blacked out after the initiation." She explained. There were tears in her eyes.   
"That was three days ago."  
  
"Where's Draco?"  
  
"Narcissa sent him to bed. She was worried about him. He hadn't left your side since   
you passed out." She took my hand in hers and squeezed it.  
  
"I'm sorry Mommy." I sobbed, falling into her arms. "I'm so sorry." She comforted me,   
her arms wrapping tightly around me. I cried in her arms. I cried for her, who had lost   
both a husband and a daughter to Voldemort. I cried for Draco. I cried for myself. And I   
cried for our unborn child. What were we going to do?  
  
"Sarah...?"  
  
My mother pulled away from me, and we turned to see Draco standing in the doorway.   
She smiled at him and stroked my hair. She wiped a tear away. "I'll leave the two of you   
alone." Mom stood up and left, her hand grazing Draco's shoulder as she walked past   
him.  
  
I bit my lip and looked at him. "Are you okay?" He asked, walking to the edge of the   
bed. I nodded. Within seconds, he was in the bed with me, spooning me against him,   
holding me close. "I was so scared." He confessed. "I didn't want to lose you. Not after   
I gave my soul to that bastard."  
  
"Draco..." I said. "What's going to happen to us? We have to go back to school."  
  
He kissed a tear away as it slid down my cheek. "Well." He sighed. "We'll just have to   
make the most of it. Your school robes should hide everything, right?" I nodded. "Okay,   
then we just go on. Classes. Hogsmeade trips. Quidditch. No one has to know."  
  
I reached for his hands and settled them against my stomach. "No one has to know." I   
repeated. Draco kissed my cheek, and I fell asleep in his arms.  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: Well, I do indeed have a bit more written. I'm enjoying writing this story.   
But I also believe that it's quite pointless to post if no one is actually reading it, so unless   
you guys tell me you'e enjoying it (or even if you hate it, drop me a line), I won't post   
anymore. I hate to resort to a threat, but...you know...I'm a Slytherin at heart, what can I   
say?  
  
A quick thanks goes out to the following:  
  
LilithDrowning: Yes Meg, I know you like Meg. She's so...you? Is that the word?   
*snicker  
  
Christy: I'm glad you are enjoying it. Thanks so much for the review!  
  
Hailey: So you don't normally enjoy Draco romances? Well, I'm glad you did read mine.   
Thanks!  
  
Brooklyn Majestic: I did continue it! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it! 


	5. [Five] Reality Sinks In

Disclaimer: Like I really own Harry Potter. I'd rather own Draco, but   
alas, it was not meant to be. I do, of course, own both Sarah and Meg.   
Hmn...sort of. I own Sarah, but Meg owns Meg being that Meg *is*   
Meg...never mind. It's not mine. Leave me be.  
  
***  
  
Draco had been avoiding me since we got back to Hogwarts after break. He was   
withdrawn, silent, and defensive.  
  
I noticed him one afternoon at lunch. He was sitting at the Slytherin table with that   
Parkinson girl hanging all over him. He didn't really seem to even care. I felt my face   
flush in jealousy. How could he? I pushed the salad around on my plate.  
  
I was not at all hungry. In fact I was very nauseous. I was only one month along; the full   
force hadn't hit me yet. Maybe that first morning I wake up and empty the contents of   
my stomach I will realize what all is going on.  
  
"PANSY!" I heard Draco yell. I looked up, startled. "How many times do I have to tell   
you that I'm not interested?" Draco stood up suddenly, knocking his chair over   
backwards. "Leave me alone! I cannot handle this right now." With that, he ran out of   
the Great Hall in a fit of anger.  
  
"What was that all about?" Meg laughed, shaking her head. "Talk about being high-  
strung."  
  
I frowned. "Excuse me." I looked puzzedly at the door Draco had just exited. Then I   
hurried out the door.  
  
It wasn't very difficult to find Draco. He was slumped against the wall in the hallway   
leading to the dungeons. He had his face buried in his hands, crying.  
  
I reached out and touched his shoulder. "Draco?" He jumped. "Are you okay?" He   
looked up at me, his gray eyes sad and dark. Draco collapsed into my arms. I had   
never seen him cry before. "What's the matter?"  
  
"Sarah, what are we doing? We're sixteen. We're still in school. We're not ready to be   
parents. I can't do this." I could not believe I was hearing this. "I'm not ready to be a   
father." Draco suddenly stood up and pushed away from me. He looked at me, almost   
in disgust.  
  
"I can't look at you anymore." He spat, running a hand through his silver-blond hair.  
  
I gasped at him in surprise. "Me? You can't look at me? Do you think this is my fault?   
If I recall correctly, you were there too. So don't try to pin any of this on me. We're in   
this together." I hadn't realized that I had started to scream. "You can't back out of this   
now. The deed is done. We had sex. I'm pregnant. It's over. Done. That's it." I felt   
the tears start to fall. "Do you see what I had to do because of this?" I pulled the   
sleeve of my robe up, exposing the Dark Mark burned into my arm.  
  
I advanced on him, my hands clenched together in tight fists. I started to throw punches,   
sobbing. "How can you Draco?"  
  
He caught me, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Stop it Sarah. Stop it!" I did. I   
surrendered to him, letting him draw me close against him.  
  
His chin laid on the top of my head. "We just have to beat this." Draco whispered.   
"Gods Sarah, I am so scared. I've never been more scared in my life."  
  
"You don't have something growing inside of you." I giggled, sniffling.   
  
He slipped his hand inside my robe to rest on my stomach. "Is this really happening?" I   
nodded meekly. "Are we really going to have a baby?" He kissed the top of my head.  
  
"Yeah, we are." I answered quietly. I sighed against him. One month down, eight to go.  
  
***  
  
It wasn't until February that I got my first taste of morning sickness. It was around five in   
the morning when I woke up, feeling for all it's worth like my head was going to explode.   
As if that wasn't enough, I made it to the bathroom just in time.  
  
When Meg found me, I was hunched over the toilet, releasing myself of whatever it was   
we had for dinner the night before. Being the best friend that she is, Meg very graciously   
held my hair back as I threw up.  
  
"You'll be okay Sarah." Meg assured me.  
  
Finally, I was done retching, and I leaned back against the door, holding my stomach.   
"Thanks." I managed to mumble.   
  
She shrugged. "Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey for you?"  
  
I shook my head immediately. No sense in going when I already knew what was wrong.   
"I'll be okay." I insisted. "Maybe if I just lay down for a while."  
  
Meg helped me back to my bed, which was all the way in the far corner next to the   
window. I fell into it and pulled the covers up over my head. "I'll tell Professor Vector   
that you're not feeling well. I'm sure she'll understand."  
  
I barely had a chance to nod before I was fast asleep again.  
  
***  
  
When I woke up close to five hours later, I noticed someone else sitting with me on my   
bed. I opened my eyes to find Draco perched on the edge of my bed, looking at me with   
concern in his grey eyes.  
  
I wondered when he changed. When he stopped being the cold-hearted, uncaring ferret   
we all loved to hate. Then I realized he hadn't really changed.  
  
Last week I saw him with his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, harass Harry Potter and   
that Weasley girl - Jenny - or whatever her name is - in the hall. They had been   
snogging or performing some other disgusting display of affection (I only know that Meg   
spent an hour moaning over the fact that the Weasley chick isn't even that pretty).  
  
Maybe Draco hadn't really changed. Maybe I was just imagining things. Hallucinating. I   
mean, why else would he be sitting in my dormitory at ten in the morning?  
  
"Draco?" I asked, pushing myself up onto my elbows. He smiled at me. "What are you   
doing here?"  
  
"Your friend, the one with the really short brown hair -"  
  
"Meg." I supplied.  
  
He nodded. "Meg told Professor Vector that you weren't feeling well, so I thought I'd   
come up and visit."  
  
"How did you get in?"  
  
Draco shrugged. "I followed a group of Ravenclaws up those damn changing staircases.   
They stopped outside this painting of some guy with his head buried in a book. It took   
them close to ten minutes to even get his attention, but I did get the password -   
Nostradamus. Who comes up with those things anyway?"  
  
I laughed. "Meg thought up that one actually. She's a prefect this year."  
  
He reached out to take my hand and interlocked his fingers in mine. "How are you   
feeling?"  
  
"Fine." I answered. "Much better than I did at five this morning." I groaned in   
remembrance of the morning's events.  
  
Draco chuckled. "You hungry at all? I heard it's fish and chips day for lunch!"  
  
I made a disgusted face. "Are you trying to make me sick all over again?" Swinging my   
legs over the edge of the bed, I stood up and grabbed my uniform. "I'm going to take a   
shower. You can stay here but no funny business, okay Mr. Malfoy?" I threatened.  
  
He wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "Who me?" I threw a pillow at him and headed   
off to the bathroom.  
  
***  
  
Draco and I walked into the Great Hall together. Somehow, it seemed like the entire   
room fell silent when we entered.  
  
My absence from that morning's classes hadn't gone unnoticed. After I had split from   
Draco and made my way over to the Ravenclaw table, Padme was the first to speak to   
me.  
  
"How are you feeling?" She asked, handing me an apple as I sat down.  
  
I shrugged. "Better."  
  
"How come you didn't go see Madam Pomfrey?" Anna Kasper, a fifth year who was   
good friends with Padme, wondered as she munched on a carrot stick.  
  
"I don't like the hospital wing." I admitted. "I figured I'd be just as good off sleeping."  
  
The main course arrived seconds later, and the conversation with my housemates   
ceased. Unfortunately though, I could still hear what some of the other houses were   
talking about.  
  
"Can you believe that girl?" Millicent Bumstrode, a very large Slytherin, said in a hushed   
tone.  
  
Her companion was none other than Slytherin's resident slut, Pansy Parkinson. "And   
the nerve of her! Moving in on my Draco!"  
  
I raised my eyebrow in curiosity. "Did you hear what happened this morning?" Blaise   
Zambini, a rather attractive Slytherin boy asked them. Pansy immediately looked   
interested. She rested her palm on her chin. "Well she skipped class all morning. I   
heard one of those Patil twins say that she was up all morning throwing up. And I   
caught Malfoy heading to the Ravenclaw Tower after potions."  
  
Millicent nodded. "You saw them come in together."  
  
It had taken me a while, but I finally realized that they were all talking about me. I   
blushed and slouched down in my seat, embarrassed.  
  
"Sarah, what's the matter?" Meg asked, turning away from the debate going on at the   
other end of the table over which boy was the hottest at Hogwarts. She frowned, her   
lower lip pouting.  
  
I didn't have to answer; Pansy Parkinson did it for me. "Hey Asherton!" She spat. I   
looked behind me to see her looming over me. I stood up slowly, preparing myself for a   
confrontation. Pansy poked me in the shoulder blade. "I'm warning you Asherton. You   
stay away from Draco."  
  
"And what do you plan on doing about it?" I drawled.  
  
Before I could tell what was happening, Pansy had whipped out her wand and was   
pointing it directly at me. "What are you going to do? Use an Unforgivable on me?"  
  
"Don't tempt me you slut." She warned. By that time, most of the Great Hall was staring   
at us.  
  
I laughed. "Me? A slut? Look who's talking Parkinson. How many guys can say   
they've had you in bed?"  
  
She gasped at me, along with half the student body. "Why you little..." Having forgotten   
that she was a witch and could very easily use her wand against me, Pansy lunged at   
me, pushing me back against the table. I landed on the floor with a thud.  
  
I managed to flip her onto her back before Professor Snape pulled me off of Pansy.   
"Asherton! Parkinson! Headmaster's office, NOW!"  
  
The hall fell silent as that bitch and I followed Snape out of the room. I felt the entire hall   
staring at my back. I could also hear the whispers as we left.  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: First off, I'd like to thank all my reviewers personally!  
  
Helian  
  
HAILY - Thanks! I appreciate it.  
  
Draco-Look-Alike - When did you start using the word "shall?"  
  
Artemis-chan - Hope you enjoy where I do eventually go with the baby, though I'm not   
entirely sure where that is yet...  
  
VirtualFaerie  
  
AngelzGaze - Thanks for reviewing this one! I appreciate it!  
  
End Author's Note: Please, please, please review more! I want to know what you all   
think about this one. It's my favorite one! Thanks! 


	6. [Six] I Do

Disclaimer: Like I really own Harry Potter. I'd rather own Draco, but alas, it was not   
meant to be. I do, of course, own both Sarah and Meg. Hmn...sort of. I own Sarah, but   
Meg owns Meg being that Meg *is* Meg...never mind. It's not mine. Leave me be. And   
William Shakespeare owns anything in this that was written by him.  
  
***   
  
Dumbledore let us off easy. We only had to spend one week scrubbing the Great Hall   
from top to bottom - without the use of magic. And Pansy and I did the job together   
without talking. It was better that way.  
  
It wasn't until March when Ravenclaw played Quidditch again. It was against Slytherin   
and the first time Draco and I were playing each other.  
  
He caught up with me on the way to the locker room. "What do you think you are   
doing?" He grabbed hold of my elbow.  
  
I spun around to face him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Quidditch is too dangerous. You can't play in your condition."  
  
"My condition? Draco, I'm not sick, and I'm not dying. I am perfectly capable of playing   
a game of Quidditch." I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. I turned to enter the   
Ravenclaw locker room, but he grabbed me around the waist. "Draco I am fine!"  
  
"Don't be selfish Sarah." He held me in place, his breath hot against my neck. "Don't   
put the baby in danger just because you're too proud to sit out of a few matches."  
  
I struggled to pull out of his arms. When I was finally free, I dashed into the locker room.   
Right before I shut the door in his face, I yelled to Draco of my shoulder. "You're just   
afraid you're gonna lose!"  
  
Now that I look back on it, I suppose I should have taken his advice. But then, hindsight   
is always 20/20, isn't it?  
  
It was about forty-five minutes into the game when I finally spotted the snitch. I turned   
my broom to the side and chased after it. During my dive though, I lost my balance and   
tumbled to the ground.   
  
I woke up about two hours later in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was in the   
doorway arguing with someone. "Mr. Malfoy please. Miss Asherton needs her rest."  
  
"Just let me see her!"  
  
I wanted Draco. I wanted to apologize. "Draco..." I managed to whisper, my voice   
raspy. I tried to sit up but found that the sharp pain in my stomach was too much to   
bear. I groaned and collapsed back onto the pillows.  
  
He pushed past Madam Pomfrey, who shrieked and tried to stop him. Draco was at my   
side in seconds. "I'm so sorry Draco. You were right. I was being selfish."  
  
Draco shook his head and grabbed my hand in his. "I'm so mad at you." I started to   
laugh, but it simply turned into a fit of coughing. "You're so stupid Sarah. Do you realize   
what could have happened?"  
  
I nodded again, but before I could answer him, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall   
strode in, Madam Pomfrey close behind. "Miss Asherton, Mr. Malfoy, I do believe the   
two of you owe us an explanation."  
  
We both looked at them.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey told us about your condition." McGonagall said.  
  
I looked at Draco as I struggled with what to say. He shrugged. "You're a big help." I   
muttered.   
  
I opened my mouth to try to explain everything, but Professor Dumbledore held up his   
hand to silence me. "Were either of you planning on informing us of the situation?"  
  
Draco shook his head. "Our parents thought it best that we keep this to ourselves."  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, thank you for clearing that up for us." Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Are   
we also to assume that this was consenual?"  
  
I gasped at what the headmaster was implying. "Professor!"  
  
He almost smirked. "Just thought I would check." I could feel my face turning red. It   
was then that I realized he was joking. "We would have liked it if the two of you would   
have told us."  
  
"Sorry." Draco muttered.  
  
McGonagall stepped forward. "There will be no more Quidditch for you Ms. Asherton.   
And you will be required to report to Madam Pomfrey for bi-weekly check-ups."  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Right now you need to get your rest." Madam Pomfrey ordered, hurriedly ushering   
everyone, including Draco out of the room.  
  
I fell back on the pillows, exhausted, and fell asleep.  
  
***  
  
Sixth year had finally come to a close. I had managed to get through it unharmed. By   
April though, I had taken to wearing my school robe everywhere I went so as to hide my   
ever-growing belly.  
  
Meg sighed overdramatically as she collapsed onto the seat. We were sharing a   
compartment on the Hogwarts Express.  
  
"It is so hot in here!" She exclaimed, ripping her robe off. She looked at me   
incredulously. "Aren't you going to take yours off?"  
  
I looked down at my black robe, which was doing a good job of masking my stomach. I   
shrugged. "I'm not hot."  
  
"You, my dear, are crazy." She pulled a hard-bound book out of her bag and promptly   
began reading it. I groaned inwardly and rested my head back against the seat cushion   
closing my eyes.  
  
"What are you reading?"  
  
She looked up at me and shrugged. "Shakespeare."  
  
"That Muggle writer?" I asked.  
  
She nodded. "I got the name for your cat from his play 'Othello.'" Meg explained,   
referring to Desdemona, who was curled up on the seat next to her. Sometimes I   
wondered if the cat didn't think Meg was her owner.  
  
"Oh...I see." I muttered, but Meg had already returned to her book.  
  
When the sweets trolley rolled by, I had the most intense craving for Bertie Botts Every   
Flavor Beans - namely liver and onions. I couldn't explain it. After buying two boxes of   
the beans, I returned to my seat and stared out the window. Meg had fallen asleep on   
the seat across from me, her book left open across her chest. Curiously, I reached over   
to pick it up.  
  
"My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown and known too late..."  
  
I frowned. "Too lovey-dovey if you ask me." I muttered.   
  
I skipped forward a few pages and raised an eyebrow. "O happy dagger, this is thy   
sheath. There rust and let me die."  
  
"Now that's more like it."  
  
"What's more like it?"   
  
I spun around toward the door to find Draco leaning against the doorframe. "The death   
in this story."  
  
I extended the book to him, and Draco flipped it open to a random page. "Oh,   
Shakespeare!" He exclaimed. "Listen to this Sarah: 'Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of   
sound and fury, signifying nothing.' Rather depressing, isn't it?"  
  
"You like Shakespeare? He was a Muggle, right?"  
  
Draco shook his head. "Very few people are aware that the bard was, in fact, a wizard."   
He grinned at me.  
  
I managed to bite back a groan. Before I could think of any witty comeback, something   
kicked me very hard in my stomach. From the inside. I gasped, my hand flying to my   
stomach.  
  
Draco noticed my distress, and his eyes filled immediately with concern. "Are you   
alright?" He asked, stepping closer to me.  
  
Somehow, I managed to nod, and I felt a smile light my face. "Draco..." I whispered,   
looking up to meet his gaze.  
  
He held his breath waiting for me to tell him what was wrong. I didn't. I reached for his   
hand and placed it under my robe gently on my stomach. When the baby kicked again, I   
know he felt it. His whole face lit up and his mouth fell open.  
  
I smiled at him and covered his hand with mine. "That's amazing." He grinned.  
  
We must have stood there together for a while because soon enough, Meg groaned and   
rolled over. "Sarah, what's going on?"   
  
Draco and I leapt apart. Meg looked at us curiously. She didn't know about us. She   
didn't know about the baby either. "Meg! I thought you were sleeping."  
  
Draco's cheeks reddened, and he inched toward the door. I reached for his hand to   
keep him close. "I was sleeping." She said. Now she was fully staring at us, her mouth   
agape. "Now I think I'm dreaming..."  
  
I shook my head. "She's going to figure it out sooner or later anyway." I muttered. Meg   
was coming home with me over the summer holiday; her parents were in Canada for   
some wizarding and magical creatures convention. "Meg, you know Draco, right?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, but what I don't know is what he's doing here. With you."  
  
"Well...Draco and I...we are...see the thing is..." I couldn't figure out what to say.  
  
"Sarah's having my baby." Draco blurted out. I stared at him as if he had five heads.  
  
So did Meg. Then she laughed. Hysterically. "You two are so funny. Oh my goodness."   
Then she realized we were serious. "What?"  
  
"I promise to tell you the whole story in a second." I insisted, starting to push Draco   
toward the door. We were nearing King's Cross Station. "See you in a week." I   
ushered him out the door.  
  
I turned back to Meg who was waiting for my explanation. I told her everything (leaving   
out the bit about the Death Eater initiation) in a matter of minutes. After I was finished,   
she just stared at me.  
  
"And I thought my life was screwed up."  
  
***  
  
I looked at myself in the mirror. Despite the ever-rounding bulge in my stomach, I looked   
good.   
  
The day before, Meg and I went to Diagon Alley to buy new dress robes for both of us.   
And today Draco and I were getting married.  
  
Mom, Dad, and the Malfoys all agreed that we should get married before the baby is   
born. Draco and I had readily agreed.  
  
"You look beautiful." Meg smiled, stepping into view in the mirror.  
  
"Thank you." I blushed.  
  
I turned to look in the mirror. My robes were midnight blue with delicate silver threads   
woven in intricate patterns throughout. It was designed in the latest fashion with wide   
sleeves and layers of material billowing out behind.   
  
Meg had piled my hair on top of my head and weaved dark blue ribbon through the curls.  
  
Someone pounded on the door. My mom went over to it and opened it only a crack.   
  
"Hey Mrs. Asherton. Can I see Sarah?" I heard Draco ask from the other side of the   
door.  
  
I started excitedly for the door, my robes billowing out behind me. Meg grabbed my arm   
to stop me.  
  
"No Draco, you cannot. You know it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride the   
morning before the wedding." Mom insisted, pushing the door closed.  
  
Draco shoved his hand through the door. "That's just a stupid Muggle superstition!" He   
argued.  
  
"Muggle superstition or not, you are not coming in this room!"  
  
Draco let out a frustrated sigh, but retreated nonetheless. Closing the door and turning   
the lock, my mom turned to me and pulled my hands into her own.  
  
"You really do look wonderful honey." She said. "I just can't believe I'm losing you this   
early. You're not even done at Hogwarts yet." Tears started to fall down her face. "Oh   
Sarah!"   
  
My mother pulled me into a huge hug, practically suffocating me. "My little girl is growing   
up." She sobbed.  
  
"Your little girl got knocked up. She's not necessarily growing up." Meg muttered.  
  
I shot her a look. She was just jealous that I managed to grab my man and she couldn't   
get hers. "Mom." I said, struggling to pull out of her embrace. She didn't let go.   
"Mom! Let go! Please!"  
  
Finally, realizing that she was keeping me from breathing, she released me. "I'm sorry   
Sarah. I'm just a little emotional."  
  
I smiled a little and gave her another reassuring hug. "Mom, it'll be okay. I'm just getting   
married." I shrugged it off as if it were nothing, but even I knew it really was something.   
"Let's go Mom, Meg. I want to get this over with."  
  
It was only half an hour later that I stood facing Draco in the courtyard at Malfoy Manor.   
My parents were there. Draco's parents were there. Meg was there. And, as Draco's   
witness, Greg Goyle was there.  
  
Draco looked unbelievable. His robes were black, folds upon folds of material. The   
color was such a complete contrast to his pale skin and hair. But he really, really looked   
good.  
  
I looked up into his gray eyes and smiled. He smiled back and squeezed my hand.  
  
That day, under the cold, gray England skies, Draco and I were married.  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: Here's a shout out to all my wonderful reviewers!  
  
Hailey: Major stress help? Hmn, never thought of that...  
  
Artemis-chan: Yeah, Pansy's awesome! (Actually, I can't stand her.) I have a cool idea   
for a Pansy fic though. Perhaps I'll go with it sometime...  
  
Kravenclaw: I don't think of Lucius as a nice person either, but I was doing some thinking   
and thought that maybe he is nice to his family. I mean, yeah, he's a Death Eater and   
all, but, you know? Glad you're enjoying it!  
  
Draco-Look-Alike: Dave, did I ever tell you that you *don't* look *anything* like Draco?  
  
G*Ness: Thanks so much!  
  
RebeccaSL8: I hate cliffhangers too. Sorry to pull one on you.  
  
End Author's Note: Well, hope you like this bit! 


	7. [Seven] The Arrival

Disclaimer: Well, once again, I do not own anyone in this chapter besides Sarah and   
Katarina. Meg owns Meg. JKR owns all HP characters. And William Shakespeare   
owns all his stuff.  
  
***  
  
Draco climbed into the massive bed next to me. He kissed my bare shoulder and tossed   
a wrapped package into my lap.  
  
I turned to look at him. "What's this?"  
  
"A little something-something for marrying me." He grinned, leaning in to steal a kiss.   
"Open it!" He encouraged.  
  
I smiled at him and then turned back to the neatly wrapped package lying in my lap.   
"You didn't wrap this yourself, did you?"  
  
He blushed. "No. My mom did it for me."  
  
I laughed and kissed him quickly. "I'm kidding Draco." Then I started to tear the paper   
off.   
  
When all was removed, I found myself staring at a very thick leather bound book. The   
words "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" were scripted on the binding.  
  
"You were reading Meg's copy on the train, and I had this one laying around, so I   
thought you might like it." He explained.  
  
I flipped open the book to the inside cover. There, in Draco's messy script was written:   
"To Sarah - With love, Draco - June 12, 2005 - Sonnet 18."  
  
"I wrote that by myself." Draco joked proudly.  
  
"I could tell." I mumbled. Then I looked at him. "What's sonnet 18?"  
  
He shrugged. "Read it." Draco fell back against the pillows. "But later. Noctos." He   
said, instructing the lights to go out.   
  
I laid down next to him, and he pulled me into his arms. "Goodnight Mr. Malfoy." I said,   
snuggling close to him.  
  
He groaned. "That makes me sound like my dad."   
  
I slapped him in the shoulder and leaned up to give him a kiss. "Goodnight Draco."  
  
"'Night Sarah." He answered. I fell asleep in his arms.  
  
***  
  
Summer was insanely boring. I didn't do anything. At all.  
  
I wanted to go to Diagon Alley. No. Someone might see me. Draco and Meg went for   
all my school supplies.  
  
I wanted to practice Quidditch. Not in 'my condition.'   
  
I wanted to go to the beach. Too long of a trip. And I wasn't allowed to travel by Floo. It   
was too much of a risk to the baby. All those turns and sudden stops.  
  
I really just wanted to do anything besides sit on my bed and read. But if you look on the   
bright side, I had three months to get a head start on schoolwork.  
  
Sure, like that really happened. Actually, I did spend all my time in bed reading. But it   
definitely was not schoolwork. By the middle of August, I had finished the complete   
works of Shakespeare. All of it. Every page. From "As You Like It" to "The Taming of   
the Shrew" to all 152 sonnets and back again.  
  
I was reading "Much Ado About Nothing" for the second time when one of the school's   
owls tapped at the window.  
  
I pushed my book to the side and struggled to my feet. I waddled to the window and   
pulled it open.  
  
"Hi there." I greeted, stroking the owl's spotted neck. "What do you have for me?" I   
asked, untying the envelope from its claws.  
  
The owl cooed at me, and I smiled, reaching over to a plate of half-eaten crackers and   
feeding him one.  
  
I stared down at the envelope. It had the Hogwarts seal, but I knew it was my supplies   
list (I got that over a week ago). It wasn't a Head Girl declaration either. I knew that   
because 1) Hermione Granger has had that won since first year, and 2) my only strong   
subject is arithmancy; I suck at everything else.  
  
Curious, I ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter, scanning it over quickly.  
  
Dear Ms. Asherton,  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen to represent your house in a   
new course study: Advanced Defense Against the Darks Arts.  
  
Two students have been selected from each house in years five through seven with the   
exception of seventh year Slytherin and Gryffindor.   
  
The intensity and focus of this course will exempt you from your regular DADA course as   
well as either Divination, Muggle Studies, or Arithmancy. The exemption will be your   
choice.  
  
Included in this letter is the list of students involved in this project:  
  
Seventh Year  
  
Gryffindor - Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley  
Hufflepuff - Susan Bones, Michael Evans  
Ravenclaw - Margaret Carter, Sarah Asherton  
Slytherin - Draco Malfoy  
  
I skimmed through the next few lines. It was just a list of the underclassmen   
participating. I didn't really care about them.  
  
"Sarah, what was that tapping at the window?" My mother asked, peeking in the door.  
  
"Just a school owl." I answered, motioning to the small brown barn owl sitting on my   
window sill.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
I nodded and handed her the envelope. "Did you owl Professor Dumbledore about me   
not going back until October?"  
  
Mom read over the letter. "Yes, I did. He said that it was no problem." She held up the   
letter. "This is quite an honor." She grinned. I was wondering when Professor   
Dumbledore would begin training."  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "Training? For what?"  
  
"For whatever." She replied mystically. "I suppose he'll clear everything up once you   
get to class."  
  
I frowned at her.  
  
"Dinner's in ten minutes." She finished, moving to leave the room.  
  
The owl squawked at me and flew out the open window. My stomach growled.  
  
***  
  
I was a whole month early.  
  
I was due September 24, but at three o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, August 27,   
my water broke.  
  
Draco didn't get to me until sometime in the mid-afternoon, but that wasn't an issue.  
  
The Dark Lord showed up sometime around midnight, but I didn't even care. In fact, by   
that time, I was in so much pain all I could do was curse everything under the sun,   
including Draco. I was so mad at him I actually broke his hand from squeezing it so   
hard. I felt bad afterwards, but being in labor was painful.  
  
It was almost as bad as getting the Dark Mark burned into my arm. Almost.  
  
Katarina Josephine Malfoy graced the world with her presence at 5:43am on August 28,   
after over twenty-four hours of labor.  
  
When it was all over, I had a screaming little person being held out to me. But when I   
reached out for her, Voldemort swept by to grab her.  
  
"Ah yes." He hissed. "She will be perfect."  
  
I was exhausted and couldn't form what I wanted to say. I looked to Draco for help.  
  
He stood up and looked at our lord defiantly. "You can't take her!" He ordered, moving   
to take Katarina back.  
  
"Crucio!" Voldemort yelled, sending Draco flying. "I will not have you defy me."   
  
My mother put her hand on my shoulder. Narcissa glanced at me helplessly. My father   
and Lucius were standing by the door, their heads bowed. "My lord." I finally said. He   
looked to me, forgetting about Draco, who fell against the wall limp. "Please." I wasn't   
even sure if he knew the meaning of the word.  
  
"She is of no use to me now. She knows no magic." He boomed, almost resigned. He   
then practically threw the wailing baby into my lap. "I will be back." Voldemort   
disappeared.  
  
The room was silent after he disapperated. Even Katarina stopped crying. Finally, there   
was an uproar. Narcissa ran to Draco, I tried to calm my daughter, my mother tried to   
calm me, and my father and Lucius started arguing.  
  
I spotted Draco walking over to me. "Are you alright?" We both asked at the exact   
same time.  
  
I laughed. "I'm just a little tired. And it's all your fault." I poked him in the shoulder.  
  
"My fault?!" He feigned innocence. "How is it my fault?"  
  
"I just went through over twenty-four hours of excruciating pain because of you and your   
hormones-"  
  
"You weren't complaining Christmas Eve." Draco smirked.  
  
I blushed. Then I held Katarina up to him. "Draco, I'd like you to meet your daughter."  
  
He reached out to pull the baby into his arms and kissed my forehead before looking   
down at his daughter. "She's so beautiful."   
  
Our eyes met.  
  
Lucius interrupted our moment. "John and I have developed a charm to use on   
Katarina. It will keep her safe from Voldemort until her thirteenth birthday."  
  
I looked at Draco hopefully. "When can it be done?"  
  
"Now if you wish." My dad answered.  
  
So we did.  
  
*** 


	8. [Eight] ADADA and Another Prophesy

Disclaimer: Well, once again, I do not own anyone in this chapter besides Sarah and   
Katarina. Meg owns Meg. JKR owns all HP characters. And William Shakespeare   
owns all his stuff.  
  
***  
  
I missed the train and therefore missed the carriages to Hogwarts as well. So, for the   
first time in months I traveled by Floo powder to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.   
From there, I hopped on my broom and hurried to Hogwarts.  
  
I slipped into my seat at the Ravenclaw table just as Professor Dumbledore stood up to   
introduce our Head Boy and Head Girl.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Meg asked surprised. "Oh my god, you're not pregnant!"  
  
"Ssh!" I hissed, quieting her. "I wouldn't be here if I was still pregnant. Gods, I looked   
like a bloody beached whale."  
  
She snickered. "Yeah, you did."  
  
I shot her a look and turned to the front of the room.  
  
"Students, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the Head Girl this year." Dumbledore   
said, in that raspy tone he always used. "From Gryffindor, Hermione Granger."  
  
"Big surprise there." I muttered.  
  
Meg frowned. "Don't they introduce the Head person with the lower grades first?" I   
shrugged. "Someone's actually higher than Hermione?" She turned to the Gryffindor   
table to look at Harry, expecting him to be announced next.  
  
I smirked and leaned back in my chair.  
  
"Now allow me to introduce your Head Boy. From Slytherin..." Meg's face drained its   
color. "Draco Malfoy."  
  
The Slytherin table erupted into cheers. Everyone else turned to each other in surprise.   
A murmur filled the hall. Draco winked at me on his way to join Hermione.  
  
I nodded to him and blew him a kiss, ignoring Meg's incessant ramblings about how   
much better Harry is than Draco.  
  
What a great way to start a new year.  
  
***  
  
"The eight of you have been especially chosen to train to fight Lord Voldemort. If, for   
any reason, you feel that you are unable to accept this responsibility, please see me   
after class." Professor Jada McNeilson, our seventh DADA teacher in seven years said.   
She was a small woman with jet black hair and large, round green eyes. She spoke with   
a slight Irish accent. Overall she seemed like a decent teacher, but this was the first day   
of classes.  
  
"Now, since this is an advanced class, let's get right into it. The first order of business is   
to partner you up." Everyone scanned the room for who they would pick. "My only   
stipulation is that the pairs be boy-girl."  
  
It was a rush to partner up. In the end I was with Draco, the two Hufflepuff kids got   
together, the two lovebirds from Gryffindor paired up, and, of course, Meg grabbed hold   
of Potter.  
  
"Good." Professor McNeilson said. "Now, I would like to find out how much you know   
about the Dark Mark. Can anyone tell me what it is?"  
  
No one moved to answer. Finally, Draco raised his hand. "Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"The Dark Mark is branded into the arm of a Death Eater. It is used to both symbolize   
the person's allegiance to Lord Voldemort-" A few people winced as he said the name.   
"-and to summon Death Eaters to him."  
  
"Very nice. Now who can tell me what it looks like?"  
  
Harry answered this one. "Isn't it sort of like a skull and crossbones? And it turns red   
whenever Voldemort calls, right?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, and it is also very painful when that happens."  
  
Susan Bones, a pudgy Hufflepuff, raised her hand. "How does someone get the Dark   
Mark? I mean, how does it connect a person to Vold - to You-Know-Who?"  
  
"Good question Ms. Bones. Would anyone care to explain?"  
  
"No one here would know." I heard Ron Weasley mutter. "It's not like we have the   
Mark."  
  
"Except maybe Malfoy." Potter whispered back.   
  
The professor cleared her throat. "Ms. Asherton, would you care to enlighten us?"  
  
I looked at her in horror. Did she know? "Um...well there is an initiation ceremony. Both   
the Dark Lord and at least one Death Eater need to be present." I took a deep breath.   
"Then they have to pledge their loyalty and accept the Mark on their arm."  
  
Draco picked up where I left off. "The potion used to make the Dark Mark is made up of   
Voldemort's blood, which is what connects the Death Eater to his master."  
  
The rest of the students looked horrified. "Now, who knows what the duty of a Death   
Eater is?"  
  
We spent the rest of the class in such conversation, Draco and I almost instinctively   
leading it. By the end of class we had covered every topic from the Dark Mark to if it   
was possible to tell if a person is a Death Eater.  
  
Right before we left though, Professor McNeilson passed out a roll of parchment to each   
pair. "These are prophecies. Each group is required to interpret their prediction and   
present it to the class. Ms. Asherton and Mr. Malfoy will present first a week from   
today." I groaned and looked at Draco. "Good luck. Class dismissed."  
  
I grabbed the scroll and shoved it into my bag. Draco slid a note into my hand and   
squeezed it. I smiled.  
  
***  
  
"La Derrota del Se¤or Oscuro   
  
Durante el s‚ptimo a¤o, en el lugar sagrado que no hombre se ha parado jam s en, ‚l   
volver . La batalla comenzar  y finalizar , despu‚s que el dos terminaron que que se   
debe hacer. El inesperado lo conquistar , deshacer el mundo de la mal por algunos   
a¤os para venir. Nada es como parece."  
  
I read over the parchment again on my way to meet Draco. His note asked me to meet   
him at the top of the staircase right outside the Great Hall. I supposed that we were   
going to work on our prophesy. That is, if either of us could figure out what the hell it   
translated to.  
  
Draco greeted me with a kiss. "How was your day?"  
  
I shrugged. "Same old. You really have to take a look at this assignment Draco. I may   
have a thing for prophecies, but this one takes home the gold. I have no idea where to   
begin." I handed him the scroll and leaned against the banister to watch him read it.  
  
His brow furrowed in thought, and he bit his lip. "It's all in another language."  
  
"It's Spanish." I half-laughed. "I learned some Spanish from my nanny years ago, but all   
I can remember is `¨d¢nde estan mis zapatos?' which means `where are my shoes.'   
And that's really the extent of my language knowledge."  
  
"Then what are we supposed to do?" He asked.  
  
I pulled a large book out of my bag and handed it out to him. "I stopped at the library on   
my way and checked out this book." He flipped through a couple pages. "It's a Spanish-  
English dictionary. I thought it might help us with something."  
  
Draco shook his head. "This is insane."  
  
I nodded. "So, where do we start?"  
  
He grabbed my hand. "First off, we go back to my room to work on this."  
  
"In the Slytherin dungeon?"  
  
"No. Didn't anyone ever tell you that the Head Boy and Girl get their own private   
dormitory?" He smirked, leading me off in the direction of the changing staircases.  
  
I stopped as it hit me. "You live with Hermione? Alone?"  
  
He cocked his head at me. "Are you jealous Sarah?" I shook my head in protest, but he   
interrupted me. "Yes, you are. I can't believe it."  
  
"Draco..."  
  
"I'm kidding." He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. "Come on. Let me show you   
where I live."  
  
Minutes later we had arrived in front of a portrait of a young girl playing with a cat. Draco   
gave the password ("arithmancy"), and it swung open, letting us inside the brightly lit   
room. It was rather spacious, the common room, with a table and chairs, a couch, and a   
fireplace. There was a door on each side of the room which I assumed led to two   
bedrooms.  
  
"Where's Hermione?" I asked.  
  
"Somewhere with Weasley and Potter probably." He took a step closer and settled his   
hands on my waist.  
  
"So we're all alone?" I wondered, looping my arms around his neck.  
  
"Mmn hmn." He leaned down and kissed my neck, nipping at the skin with his teeth.  
  
"Well husband of mine, what do you say we do with our time?" I gasped as he started   
sucking gently on my neck. He seemed rather content with what he was doing.   
"Shouldn't we be working on our...ah...our project?" I sighed and fell back against the   
closest wall.  
  
Finally, Draco released his mouth from my skin. "Okay, let's go." He pulled away and   
headed over to the couch, taking both the parchment and the dictionary with him.   
  
I gasped and shivered, having lost his body heat. "You're just going to leave me here?"   
He didn't answer, but threw a smirk in my general direction. I stayed there for a few   
seconds, stunned, before joining him in front of the fireplace. I sat down on the couch   
and curled my legs up under me. Draco had taken a seat against the couch in front of   
me. "Get anything done?"  
  
He turned around to look at me. "I started to translate the title." He said, frowning. "I   
think it says something about the defeat of the dark mister."  
  
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Isn't se¤or a synonym for lord?" I wondered, looking over   
his shoulder at the piece of parchment. I placed a hand on his shoulder and noticed how   
tense he was. "You're really tense Draco. Why's that?" I laughed. "You weren't just in   
labor for over twenty-four hours. You try squeezing something the size of a cantaloupe   
out of something the size of a pea. It's not pretty."  
  
Draco shook his head at me, but stopped when I began to massage him. "We're not   
going to get much done if you insist on doing that."   
  
I shrugged, but didn't stop. "Hold on. `A¤o' means year, I believe. Uh...I think `sept' is   
usually a prefix used for seven, isn't it? Maybe that says something about seven years."   
I squinted to read the paper while Draco scribbled my translations above the words.  
  
"Yeah, that looks right. `Lugar sagrado' literally means `place sacred.'" He continued,   
flipping through the dictionary in order to find words. "'That no man stationary never...'   
This doesn't make any sense."  
  
I stopped massaging him and reached for the paper. "I don't think we can translate it   
literally Draco." I made a face. "I would think that once we get all the words together,   
we can rearrange them to get the meaning. And after that we still have to interpret what   
it's saying."  
  
He dropped the dictionary into his lap. "Why are we doing this? Doesn't the ministry   
have people who do this? I sincerely doubt that these prophecies haven't been   
interpreted before."  
  
"Maybe this is only to first step."  
  
"To what?"  
  
"I don't know. It's a mystery."  
  
We fell into a comfortable silence, and he turned around to crawl onto the couch with   
me. "They're preparing us for war." He finally said, his voice low.  
  
"I know."  
  
He reached out to touch my face. "We need to figure out which side we're going to be   
on."  
  
"Is it such a hard question?" I asked. "Do we want to protect Katarina? Or willingly   
hand her over to Voldemort? If that's what it comes down to..."  
  
Draco cut me off. "She's safe." He assured me. "She'll be safe until she's thirteen."  
  
"I know. I just wish Dad and Lucius could have developed something that would last a   
little longer. Thirteen is still too young. She'll barely be a teenager. Only in her third   
year at Hogwarts. I can't even imagine what it will be like."  
  
"Don't worry about it Sarah. There was nothing they could do. The Dark Lord is too   
powerful. This spell they developed is risky in and of itself. If they had tried to extend   
the time anymore, they wouldn't be able to guarantee it would even work." He spoke   
quietly. He sighed. "Everything will be okay."  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
"No, I don't. But maybe if we figure out how Voldemort will be defeated, it'll help." I   
looked at him, not understanding his meaning. "The prophesy." He clarified. "It's called   
`The Defeat of the Dark Lord,' remember?"  
  
I frowned. "Oh, right. Can I see that for a second?" He handed it over. "I recognize this   
last sentence. Juanita - she was my nanny - used to say it all the time when something   
weird was going on. I just wish I could remember what it means..." I swallowed hard.   
Then it came to me. "Draco, this means `Nothing is as it seems.' So, even if the rest of   
the prediction is all well and good, that can't be. It practically yells that the entire   
prophesy could be wrong."  
  
Draco let out a deep breath. "I guess the only thing we can do is translate it and hope   
for the best. It's an assignment for school." He shook his head and rolled his eyes.   
"Maybe it doesn't mean anything."  
  
"Maybe you're right."  
  
But we worked on it anyway.  
  
*** 


	9. [Nine] On Living

Disclaimer: Well, once again, I do not own anyone in this chapter besides Sarah and   
Katarina. Meg owns Meg. JKR owns all HP characters. And William Shakespeare   
owns all his stuff.  
  
***  
  
Meg dragged me with her Friday night to her ladies' night out fiasco. I was actually   
mildly surprised with who was in attendance.  
  
We all met in the student lounge, making sure there were no wizards anywhere nearby.   
Meg, Padme, and I were the only Ravenclaws. My favorite Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson,   
was there with her loyal sidekick Milicent. The rest were all Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs.   
There were a few sixth years, but most of us were seventh.  
  
"Now remember," Parvati, Padme's twin sister started. "Anything said here tonight does   
not leave this room, understand?"  
  
There was a murmur of consent. I was doing my best to ignore the looks of death I was   
receiving from Parkinson. "Anyone wanna start?" Lavender Brown, a pretty blonde girl   
from Gryffindor asked, shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth and offering   
everyone else the bowl.  
  
I was confused. "What exactly are we doing?"  
  
"Playing truth or dare." The Weasley girl that Meg hates answered.  
  
I noticed a smirk grow on Pansy's face. "I'll go first. Asherton, truth or dare?"  
  
I looked up at her. "Truth."  
  
"Chicken." Padme nudged me with her elbow.  
  
Pansy held up a hand to silence her. "No, I like this. There's been something I've been   
meaning to ask her." She glared at me.   
  
"And remember you have to tell the truth Asherton." Milicent added.  
  
Pansy looked around the room adding to the suspense. "What exactly is going on   
between you and Draco?"  
  
I swallowed hard and cast a sideways glance to Meg for help. She shrugged and bit   
back a smile. "Come on Sarah! You have to answer." Hermione urged.  
  
I took a deep breath. "Well Pansy, I had Draco's secret love child. He pledged his   
undying love for me, and now we're going to live happily ever after." I said. Everyone   
stared at me not sure whether to believe me or not. "Can you hear the sarcasm dripping   
from my voice?"  
  
"So Sarah, then what is going on between the two of you?" Meg asked, almost stand-  
offishly.  
  
I glared at her again. Everyone else glared at me. "Nothing!" I huffed. "There is   
nothing going on between me and Draco!"  
  
"Liar." Meg hissed in my ear.  
  
I opened my mouth and turned to her. "Well why don't you tell all of us who you have a   
crush on?"  
  
"You can't ask her anything until she picks truth or dare." Lavender pointed out,   
reaching for the bowl of popcorn.  
  
I threw up my hands. "Fine! Meg, truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare."  
  
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Okay, I dare you to kiss Harry Potter tomorrow morning at   
breakfast."  
  
Everyone started talking at once, and I leaned back contently. "You can't do that."   
Ginny finally said quietly. Her face was bright red. So was Meg's.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because Ginny is his girlfriend." Parvati explained. "It's a rule. Boys already claimed   
can't be part of any dares."  
  
"Sorry." I muttered. "Someone else can go." I crossed my arms over my chest and   
sighed.  
  
Meg didn't speak to me the rest of the night. I guess I did kind of deserve it.  
  
***  
  
"Basically, the passage roughly translates to this: 'During the seventh year, at a sacred   
place no man has ever stood, he returns. The battle begins and ends after the two have   
finished what should be done. The unexpected conquer him and rid the world of evil for   
some years to come. Nothing is as it seems.'" Draco read to our DADA class a week   
later.  
  
"We discovered it difficult to get an exact translation as neither of us speak fluent   
Spanish." I explained. "That made interpreting it difficult."  
  
"The title is pretty much self-explanatory." Draco continued. "So we used it as much as   
we could during our interpretation."  
  
"If you break the prophesy into sentences, as we have done on the parchment we   
handed out, it's a little easier to make sense of."  
  
"The first sentence was the most difficult." Draco said. "'The seventh year' could mean   
anything, from someone's last year at Hogwarts to the seventh year after the turn of the   
millennium."  
  
"And the word 'man' could mean either human being or Muggle. More than likely, the   
'he' that is referred to is Voldemort." I shuffled through the papers I was holding. "The   
next sentence must reference another prophesy. It says 'the two finish what must be   
done.' We think that something else must be done before Voldemort returns."  
  
"It goes on to say that 'the unexpected conquer him.' We took that as meaning Potter   
won't save the day again." Draco and I laughed at our little joke. No one else did.   
"Voldemort will be defeated for 'some years to come.'"  
  
"Once we got to the end though, the last sentence went and contradicted everything by   
saying 'nothing is as it seems.' Needless to say, this is open to interpretation." I   
finished.  
  
"Thank you Ms. Asherton, Mr. Malfoy. Nice job." Professor McNeilson said, standing up   
from her desk. Draco and I returned to our seats.  
  
Harry raised his hand. "But Professor, they didn't tell us what it meant."  
  
"They did the assignment Mr. Potter." She said. Draco smiled smugly. "I said to   
interpret the prophesy. There are few people who can actually interpret the meaning.   
It's near to impossible to do so."  
  
"So we don't need to know when this is going to happen?" Ron asked.  
  
"I can't expect you too." Our teacher turned back to Potter. "Mr. Potter, you and Ms.   
Carter will present tomorrow." She instructed. "See you then."  
  
I stood up to leave, but Draco grabbed my arm. "Are you coming over tonight?" He   
asked, sticking his lower lip out at me.  
  
I grinned. "See you tonight Draco."  
  
***  
  
"Do you think that Shakespeare had it right? That ours live really mean nothing?" I   
wondered, sighing contently.  
  
Draco and I were laying together on the couch in his common room, his arms wrapped   
around me. He ran his fingers up and down the skin of my arm. "I don't know. If it was   
right, nothing we did would be of any importance."  
  
"Basically we can say that life's a bitch, and then you die." I laughed ironically.  
  
He did too. "Yeah, I guess we could say that."  
  
I turned around in his arms to face him. "When the time comes to fight, which side will   
you be on?"  
  
Draco shrugged and ran his hand up under my shirt to come to rest on the Dark Mark on   
my arm. He traced it with his finger. "I don't know. I never asked to be a part of this. If   
Shakespeare had it right, it wouldn't matter which side we chose. It'll all amount to   
nothing anyway."  
  
"And if he's wrong this decision could determine if we spend the rest of our lives in   
Azkaban." I pointed out, leaning my cheek on my palm.  
  
Draco didn't say anything. Instead, he bent forward to kiss me softly. I moved my lips   
against his and allowed him to roll on top of me. He opened his mouth and urged his   
tongue in, running one hand down my side and slipping under my shirt. I heard myself   
whimper.  
  
Just as I managed to get Draco's shirt off, the portrait slid open, and Hermione walked   
in. Unfortunately, I had already thrown his shirt over the back of the couch. It hit her in   
the face. "Malfoy?"  
  
I gasped, and shoved Draco off of me. He landed on the floor with a thud and a groan.   
"What the hell...?"  
  
Hermione walked around to the front of the couch. Her jaw fell at the sight in front of   
her. I was laying on the couch, my lips undoubtedly swollen from all the snogging, and   
Draco was on the floor shirtless, rubbing his head. "I think this is yours." She said,   
flustered, tossing the shirt back at him.  
  
I struggled to sit up, blushing furiously. As Draco pulled his shirt over his head, I saw a   
flash of the Dark Mark on his arm. I'm sure Hermione saw it too. "What do you want   
Granger?" He finally spat.  
  
"Well, um...the two of you did such a good job with your prophesy, and Ron and I are   
having a bit of trouble, so I wanted to ask for your help. But, since you're busy..." She   
turned away, embarrassed at having caught us in a compromising situation.  
  
"No, Hermione, that's alright. Can I see it? I'll see what I can do," I hopped up, doing   
anything I could to try to get her to stop thinking about what she had just seen. Draco   
shot me a look.  
  
"Sure." She said, walking over to her bag, which she had dropped when she came into   
the room. She pulled out a roll of parchment and handed it to me. "We got it already   
translated, so it's only the interpreting that we need to do. But I never was good at   
Divination, and Ron hasn't been much help. All he wants to do is snog or talk about   
Quidditch." She blushed.  
  
I nodded. "Listen, Hermione, would you mind not telling anyone about this? About me   
and Draco?" I asked quietly, casting a sideways glance toward the subject, who was still   
sitting in front of fireplace, brooding.  
  
Hermione agreed. "Yes, don't worry. Your secret's safe with me. But why you want to   
snog Draco is beyond me..." She grinned.  
  
I rolled my eyes and read over the prophesy. My eyes widened as I finished it.   
Hermione looked at me curiously. "Sarah, what's the matter?" I swallowed hard, my   
hand shaking as I re-read the parchment.  
  
Draco stood up and crossed the room in an instant. "Sarah?" He asked, reaching out to   
touch my arm. I extended the parchment toward him. He read it over. "Oh god." He   
breathed.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked. "Do you know what it means?"  
  
I finally mustered up enough coherency to shake my head. "Well it's obviously about   
Lord Voldemort's heir." I said. "It goes on to talk about when two people come together   
they conceive a child that will become his heir."  
  
"We got that much." Hermione bit her lip, puzzled. "It's the when, who, and where that   
we don't get."  
  
I looked at Draco for help. He groaned in disgust. "That, I have no idea." He said.   
"Maybe on one of those flying Muggle contraptions? What are they called?"  
  
"A plane?" Hermione asked.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, well it says up near the heavens, doesn't it?"  
  
I could see where he was going. Draco was definitely trying to throw her completely off   
course. "Yeah, and that thing about the savior or whatever probably means Potter. So,   
maybe two people did it the night before he was born, on a plane, and had Voldemort's   
heir. That means, any of us could be it." I exclaimed, fighting the urge to start laughing.  
  
Hermione looked at us as if we had grown three heads. "Right." She said. Then she   
looked back down at the paper. "Wait, that makes sense." She said excitedly, grabbing   
the parchment from Draco and hurrying toward the door. "Thanks you two!" Hermione   
disappeared through the portal.  
  
I turned to look at Draco, my mouth open. "Did she actually buy that?" I asked, not   
entirely sure what just happened.  
  
"I think so." Draco said in disbelief. He pulled me into his arms. "Guess know-it-all   
Granger isn't as bright as everyone thinks she is." I laughed and closed the space   
between us.  
  
*** 


	10. [Ten] La Derrota

Disclaimer: As much as I would like to claim Draco as my own, it is not so. In fact, the all   
great and wonderful J. K. Rowling owns him and Harry and Hermione and, yes, she   
even owns Voldemort. I myself own Sarah, Meg, and Katarina. William Shakespeare   
owns Titania, Queen of the Fairies. So, is that disclaimed enough for you?  
  
***  
  
Tonight was the first ever Masquerade Ball for Halloween. Fifth years and up were   
invited; everyone else had the traditional feast that evening in the Great Hall. I had   
chosen to go as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer   
Night's Dream."   
  
I walked into the Great Hall by myself, the gold wings I had slipped onto my back   
fluttering. I smiled at the scene before me. Everyone was there, dressed in costumes   
varying from knights in shining armor to skanky French maids.  
  
I spotted Draco almost instantly. He was milling about near the refreshment table, just   
where he said he would be. I looked him over once before approaching him. He was   
dressed as a vampire, complete with fake fangs and blood dripping down his chin. He   
had his hair slicked back, and his face was paler than usual.  
  
I walked up to him. "Hey there." I said.  
  
He grinned and set his drink down, taking in my appearance. "You look good enough to   
eat." He said, licking his lips.  
  
I looped my arm through the crook in his elbow. The masks we were required to wear   
definitely had their advantages. Draco and I were free to do whatever we wanted and no   
one would be the wiser. "Well, your majesty, would you care to dance?" He wondered,   
extending his arm toward the dance floor.  
  
"I would love to." I said, walking with him toward the middle.  
  
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. "I vant to suck your blood."   
He whispered, nipping lightly at the skin under my ear.   
  
I squirmed. "Now, now Draco, there will be time for that later." I giggled.  
  
We swayed back and forth together to the music. I laid my head on his shoulder and   
looked around the room. There was a knight dancing with a red-headed angel. I   
assumed it was Harry and Ginny. I saw Meg dancing with Seamus Finnegan, a   
Gryffindor. Her costume was great. I envied her courage.  
  
Meg was a devil, with a red tank top and vinyl mini-skirt. She donned knee-high red   
leather bondage boots, and a red cape. She even had little devil horns on her head. I   
saw her carrying a pitchfork out of the common room before the dance. She really   
looked good.  
  
I sighed heavily.  
  
Draco put his finger under my chin and lifted it to meet his gaze. "What's the matter?"   
He asked.  
  
"Meg and I aren't getting along. I don't know why or when it all started. I think it was   
sometime around the time we got together. But I don't know why it bothers her so   
much." I said. I spotted the knight and angel sneak out of the hall together, probably off   
to the courtyard to snog.  
  
"Have you tried talking to her?"  
  
I shook my head. "I don't know what to say." Meg ran off after them. I frowned. "Where   
is she going?" I thought to myself out loud.  
  
Draco followed my gaze to watch Meg run off.  
  
Before he could answer my question, a harsh burning shot through my arm. I gasped   
and reached to rub it, realizing all too soon that it was the Dark Mark. Draco looked at   
me, a grimace of pain adorning him face. "Let's go." I grabbed his arm and, together,   
we ran off toward the courtyard.  
  
***  
  
Draco and I arrived just in time to find Lord Voldemort send Ginny flying. She landed   
against the stone wall, her arm twisted to the side. Harry was standing his ground facing   
the Dark Lord, his wand raised.   
  
"Ah, Harry Potter, we meet again." Voldemort hissed. "This time, you won't be as lucky   
as the last." He continued, circling him. He spied us watching him. "Oh, my   
children...come to me." He ordered, pulling us toward him. "Let me show you how it is   
done."  
  
I swallowed hard and looked at Draco. He was staring straight at Voldemort, his heart   
pounding. "Get his wand." He commanded, sending me toward Harry. I did as I was   
told, finding it easy to tear the wand from Harry's grasp. I moved over to the side,   
unable to control my actions. "Finally, I will get what I have always wanted."  
  
"What is that my lord?" Draco asked suddenly. I gasped at him.  
  
Voldemort turned to him curiously. "Young Malfoy, do you dare question my actions?"  
  
"I just don't understand why Potter's life is so important to you."  
  
I shook my head frantically, trying to find the words to make him stop.  
  
"It is of no consequence to you." He spat. "I have all I need from you. It is Potter's life   
that will bring me to power. Indefinitely." Voldemort glared at Draco for a moment   
before turning back to Potter. He raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra!" He yelled.  
  
There was a rustling in the bushes behind me. "NO!" I spun around to see, to my   
horror, Meg jump out in front of Harry. Just as the streak of green light touched her, I   
managed to whip out my wand and yell a diversion spell, sending the curse careening off   
into a bush, sending it into flames.  
  
Meg collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. I stared at Voldemort, who's anger was   
growing with each second. "You betray me." He whispered, his lips hardly moving at all.   
"You are a disgrace to me." He set his wand toward me. "Crucio." I closed my eyes,   
letting the pain wash over me. I fell to the floor, my body twitching uncontrollably. I bit   
my lip trying to endure the pain searing through my body.  
  
All of a sudden, the pain stopped. "Accio my wand." I heard Potter utter. His wand flew   
out of my hand and to him. Voldemort forgot all about me and turned to him. "You won't   
get away with this Voldemort!" He yelled.  
  
Draco was still standing stationary to my right. He was gripping his wand tightly.   
  
"Potter, you are wrong. Malfoy! Kill him!" Draco looked up suddenly, almost surprised   
he was being spoken to. He glanced down at his wand in confusion. "NOW!"  
  
By now I was breathing heavily, watching the scene unfold in front of me and not being   
able to do anything. I felt around on the hard ground behind me for my wand, but I   
couldn't find it. Draco held his own wand up, pointing it toward Harry. I closed my eyes,   
unable to watch.  
  
I couldn't tell you what happened next, except that I heard Draco say the killing curse.   
When I opened my eyes, both Draco and Harry were standing opposite each other, and   
there was a swirl of smoke spiraling up from where Voldemort had been standing. They   
were both still gasping for air, their wands raised toward each other. Meg and Ginny   
were still unconscious on the ground.   
  
I struggled to get to my feet. "Draco?" I asked quietly, taking a step toward him.  
  
"Thank you Malfoy." Potter swallowed, putting his wand into his pocket. Draco didn't   
answer him. He turned to me, opening his arms and pulling me to him. He kissed the   
top of my head.  
  
"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall demanded, storming out into the   
courtyard. Behind her were both Professors Snape and McNeilson and half the student   
body.  
  
"It's all over." Professor McNeilson said, letting out a deep breath. "It's all over."  
  
***  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
I looked up. Meg was standing over me, leaning against the doorframe. I was lying on   
my bed working on my Divination homework. "Excuse me?"  
  
"What did you name her?"  
  
I put my quill in the book to hold my place and sat up. "Katarina." I answered.  
  
"That's a beautiful name. Now all she needs is a sister named Bianca."   
  
I laughed. "Meg, look, I'm sorry about the other night. I shouldn't have done that." I   
took a deep breath. "I've been treating you like crap since Draco and me got together."  
  
"I've been doing the same thing." She sat down on the edge of my bed. "It just seemed   
like as soon as you started dating Draco, I was invisible."  
  
"What do you have against him?"  
  
She shrugged and rubbed Desi's stomach. "I don't know. Just the fact that he stole my   
best friend."  
  
We just looked at each other in silence for a movement. "Thank you for saving me the   
other night." Meg continued timidly. "I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I just   
wanted Harry to notice me."  
  
"Did he?"  
  
She shook her head. "Not at all. You guys revived me. Harry was with Ginny in the   
hospital wing the whole time. Seamus was the only person besides you and Padme that   
came to visit me."  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "Seamus Finnegan? What's going on there?"  
  
She blushed. "Nothing."  
  
I gave her a knowing look.   
  
"Do you have a picture?" She asked, abruptly changing the subject.  
  
I nodded slowly and turned to my night stand, opening the drawer. I pulled out a small   
frame that held a picture of me, Draco, and Katarina. My picture-self waved up at us.  
  
Meg smiled. "She's adorable."  
  
"Thanks." Meg reached over to pull me into a hug.  
  
***  
  
Graduation day finally arrived. I had a lot to be happy for: Voldemort's defeat, the end of   
our seventh year, Draco's appointment to the Ministry of the Dark Arts. Everything   
really.  
  
"Well, here we are." Draco came into view in the mirror standing behind me. He   
wrapped his arms around my waist.  
  
I sighed. "Yeah, here we are."  
  
He kissed my neck. "I got a letter from my parents today."   
  
"What did they say?"  
  
Draco pulled away to move to his armoire to find his graduation robe. "They said they   
bought a house up near the Scottish border."  
  
I frowned. "But why would they buy a new house?" I clipped the sides of my hair back   
off my face.  
  
"Because they want us to have Malfoy Manor."  
  
I spun around to face him. "Are you serious?"  
  
He stood up and took a step closer to me. "Yes I am. They want us to have a home for   
Kat and any other little Malfoys that may eventually run around."  
  
"That's wishful thinking." I muttered as his lips descended to mine. His hands moved up   
to tangle itself in my hair. I slid my hands under his robe.  
  
There was a shout from out in the common room. "Malfoy! Sarah! Are you coming?"  
  
We broke apart and stared at each other. He pulled my hands into his. "Let's go   
Sarah."  
  
I smiled. "It's time to graduate."  
  
Draco and I walked out of the room together and into the rest of our lives.  
  
The End  
  
***  
  
Author's Note: A quick shout-out to all my reviewers! Thanks so much!  
  
Draco-Look-Alike  
Artemis-chan: Well, the baby was born. And I finished it all in one day too! Did you like   
it?  
Hailey: Yeah, so can I. But you'd have to know her to get the full effect. Sort of like the   
face she made when I made her read that part in class...  
RebeccaSL8  
  
End (and Final) Author's Note: Well, it's over. It's complete. It's finished. There is no   
more to be told. (Or is there? Mwa-ha-ha-ha!) Anyway, thank you all for reading and   
reviewing. I am very glad you liked my little story.  
  
Thank you!  
  
-ljp-  
  
"All the world's a stage and the men and women merely players. They have their exits   
and their entrances and each man, in his time, plays many parts." - William Shakespeare 


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